Date sent: Sat, 15 Jul 2000
From: "George Tyler" (tyler@paradise.net.nz)
To: taxi-l@northroute.net
Subject: Transport for people with disabilities
On July 14, 2000,
Philip Maxfield (Maxcab2@aol.com) asks: I am looking for more info in regard to the usage of taxis and the disabled. A movement is brewing here in Shreveport/Bossier City La. in this area. If anyone can help here it would be very much appreciated.

There must be many ways communities have provided mobility to people with diabilities, I will describe the system operating in New Zealand. The first thing that has to be done is to convince people that the transport problems of the disabled are really economic problems. If Bill Gates lost his legs he would not have the mobility problems faced by the average person, he could buy his mobility.

The second issue is to persuade authorities to accept that "Total Mobility", which is our name for the service, is total and not just a means of getting people to and from institutions, Medical centres etc. The NZ Taxi Federation allied itself with agencies representing people with disabilities e.g the Blind Foundation, Crippled Children Society etc in order to ensure that people can use the service for all activities, to go to work, the movies, the pub, football indeed any legal activity.

The Taxi Federation, with help from a government agency, produced an interactive training video. In most towns, in order to qualify to participate in total mobility, taxi companies are required to train drivers in the skills and attitudes required to provide high standards of service to clients with disabilities. The training has also had a beneficial effect on the attitude of drivers to able bodied customers. Most councils also require companies to provide wheelchair capable vehicle if they want to participate in the scheme but it is not easy to enforce.

Local Councils subsidise the purchase and fitting of wheelchairs hoist by making what is called a suspensory loan which does not have to be paid as long as the service is provided. The estimated life of hoists is five years. A problem is that the vans fitted with hoists suffer resistance from able bodied clients.

But only a small minority of people with disablities are wheelchair bound, most 90% can use an ordinary sedan albeit with help from the driver or a care giver.

In New Zealand local councils with help from central Government subsidise taxi fares by 50%. Agencies representing people with disablities certify that their members qualify for assistance and issue books of dockets which are used to pay half the taxi fare, dockets are redeemed with taxi companies who collect from the Council . Councils impose a limit on the value of hires that will be subsidise, in the early days some hirers travelled far and wide at great cost. Where there is a valid reason for a long journey permission can be obtained.

There has been some cheating, relatives or friends stealing dockets, drivers and clients conspiring to defraud etc but only a few case which usually collapse when the cheats get greedy. A rule we have had from the start is that drivers must accept dockets without question. If they have doubts about whether the customer is entitled to use the service the matter should be reported to the agency that issued the docket, the Council and the taxi company.

The system which was introduced in 1980 has been very succesful in assisting people with a wide range of disabilities to fully participate in society activity both work and play. Another method of subsidising fares is for agencies to sell dockets at half face value up to an agreed value each month. Apart from the risk of forgery, this method is more secure than the system we operate but many people cannot afford to lay out say $50 up front and there are a range of needss. Some people have to travel frequently to work, shool or for treatment while others may only need to access the service infrequently

I think the most important message is to get involved so that the system adopted is realistic, practical and economic. We cannot provide service below cost, if we want to make donations it has to be done out of income not as a cost to our business. However thgere is a great satisfaction in providing service to people who are disabled in one way or another. Drivers who regularly transport disabled children to and from school make friends for life with the children and their families.

Hope this helps

George Tyler